Microsoft auditions new server products

Microsoft said Tuesday it has released a near-final test version of its new server software for small businesses. The company said it is distributing 200,000 evaluation kits that contain the release candidate for Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, a bundle of several Microsoft server products.

Microsoft said the software will come in both standard and premium editions, with the standard edition combining Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft Exchange 2003 technology and the premium version also adding the SQL Server 2000 and Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server products.